*The mint-in-the-box action figure Leonard threatens to open if his friends don't let him pass is a "rare, mint condition, production error [[LeVar Burton|Geordi La Forge]][http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BPAQ7Q?tag=aardvarcorg-20 Geordi La Forge without his visor in the original packaging] ".
*The mint-in-the-box action figure Leonard threatens to open if his friends don't let him pass is a "rare, mint condition, production error [[LeVar Burton|Geordi La Forge]][http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BPAQ7Q?tag=aardvarcorg-20 Geordi La Forge without his visor in the original packaging] ".
*Raj said he will match the offer for Leonard's collectibles plus a 1000 {{w|Rupees}} and Sheldon asked "What's the exchange rate?". Raj replied "None of your business". 1000 {{w|India |Indian}} Rupees is approximately 22 USD.
*Raj said he will match the offer for Leonard's collectibles plus a 1000 {{w|Rupees}} and Sheldon asked "What's the exchange rate?". Raj replied "None of your business". 1000 {{w|India |Indian}} Rupees is approximately 22 USD.
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*Leonard says, "I’m selling it all to [[List of The Big Bang Theory characters#Minor characters|Larry]] down at the [[The Comic Center of Pasadena|comic book store]]. He offered me a fair price for the whole collection." This person might be "[[Lonely Larry]]" seen in "[[The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary]]", "[[The Wheaton Recurrence]]", and "[[The 21-Second Excitation]]".
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*Leonard says, "I’m selling it all to [[List of The Big Bang Theory characters#Minor characters|Larry]] down at the [[The Comic Center of Pasadena|comic book store]]. He offered me a fair price for the whole collection." This person might be "[[Lonely Larry]]" seen in "[[The Creepy Candy Coating Corollary]]", "[[The Wheaton Recurrence]]", and "[[The 21-Second Excitation]]".
*Sheldon mentions Penny is an accumulator of Care Bears, while, in "[[The Dumpling Paradox]]", Howard said, "Ah, well then, we’ll probably need to talk about your stuffed bear collection."
*Sheldon mentions Penny is an accumulator of Care Bears, while, in "[[The Dumpling Paradox]]", Howard said, "Ah, well then, we’ll probably need to talk about your stuffed bear collection."
*Leonard states that [[The Elevator |the elevator]] had been broken for two years (it was 2008 when this episode aired, so it would be 2006) when in fact it's been out since 2003 (5 years in 2008) years due to an explosion he caused with {{w|rocket fuel}} before. Since he was the one responsible for the accident, it is most likely that he wanted to keep it secret from the general public.
*Leonard states that [[The Elevator |the elevator]] had been broken for two years (it was 2008 when this episode aired, so it would be 2006) when in fact it's been out since 2003 (5 years in 2008) years due to an explosion he caused with {{w|rocket fuel}} before. Since he was the one responsible for the accident, it is most likely that he wanted to keep it secret from the general public.
Leonard accidentally buys a full size prop of the time machine from the movie The Time Machine. As the guys attempt to bring it up to their apartment, they block the stairs and Penny ends up missing work. She scolds Leonard for having all these toys, so he tries to get rid of them all.
Extended Plot
Group owned time machine - "My turn!"
How do we get this upstairs?
Leonard: I have here the rare mint condition production error Star Trek: The Next Generation Geordi La Forge, without his visor in the original packaging.
Sheldon is complaining about his food to Howard and Raj. Leonard calls their attention as he found a miniature time machineprop from the sci-fi film The Time Machine up for auction on the internet. Leonard. believing that it would go for thousands, bids $800 because he simply wanted to be a part of it and later explains that he doesn't have $800 to blow on a miniature time machine. Howard explains that Leonard doesn't need to worry as expert online bidders do something called Sniping, which means they enter the winning bid at the last moment. But in the end, Leonard wins the auction and since he doesn't have the money, all four of them place $200 and share it.
Soon, they found out the miniature time machine was actually an actual size time machine prop. They slowly get it up to their apartment by stairs when they bump into Penny, who is running late for work. Since the huge time machine is obstructing the stairwell, Sheldon suggests that Penny go to the roof and jump over the small gap to the next building and use their stairwell. After successfully moving the time machine to the apartment, the gang is extremely excited. Suddenly, Penny barges in furiously, angered as Sheldon's suggestion failed. She ended up in the apartment of an Armenian family who had her stay for lunch and tried to fix her up with their son. In her anger, she criticizes the gang's obsession for toys, comics, costumes, etc and calls them pathetic for doing so. Leonard is deeply affected by this, additionally he dreamed about bravely aiding Penny to work. He took her in arm and lowered both of them on the broken elevator cable.
The next day, Sheldon finds Leonard packing up all his collectibles to sell. Soon, Howard and Raj come by and along with Sheldon, trying to stop Leonard from selling his stuff, but Leonard refuses their pleas. He thinks Penny will never be interested in him which he still has all this junk. Upon hearing the fuss the gang was making, Penny comes to see what was going on. Sheldon immediately calls Penny a hypocrite and points out that she also collects toys such as Beanie Babies and Care Bears and that she is wearing Hello Kitty shorts. Penny apologizes to Leonard and tells him that his toys are what make him who he is. Leonard then decides not to sell his toys as he sees Penny leaving with her boyfriend, Mike. In the final scene, Sheldon suffers from Morlock infested dreams and blames Leonard.
Critics
"An excellent story which showcases the three main characters and their dichotomy perfectly. It also advances the overall story of Leonard trying to become the right man for Penny. With the time machine providing some laughs this is an excellent episode overall." - The TV Critic's Review
File:51NNjzrhPoL. UX425 -1-.jpgSheldon starts the episode wearing his DC Flashy Safari t-shirt (same as from the pilot). As the boys move the time machine, Sheldon sports his ManBot t-shirt, arguably his favorite as it is the one he has worn in more episodes than any other - and in more colors (green, blue, and purple). Confronting Penny, he's in the "Flash Lightning" shirt, found at Zazzle.com . For the closing scene, Sheldon is spotted in a shirt of horizontally striped primary colors (from Urban Outfitters, discontinued).
Leonard starts the episode in his blue parrot shirt, moves to his red periodic table shirt, and ends the episode in a green shirt with hexagons.
Set Notes
This episode features the famous striped couch pillows that so many people seem to want. The closest I've found is the set of Roxen Striped Pillows by Pillow Perfect.
Including shipping, Howard works out that purchasing a Time Machine is less than $4/pound, whereas cocktail shrimp are $12.50/pound.
Leonard's first time trip he chooses to be March 10th, 1876, the date Alexander Graham Bell made the first call on his new invention, the telephone. Though to solve the technical issue of traveling across space as well as time, and explaining his presence to Mr. Bell, Sheldon suggests going forward in time to obtain a cloaking device. In the Star Trek series, Captain James T. Kirk steals on stardate 5027.3, which converts to January 10, 2328. (This comment refers to the Star Trek episode "The Enterprise Incident", which was actually set in late 2268.).
Raj encourages Howard to "look up 'dibs' in Wikipedia" to validate his claim to Leonard's Golden-Age Flash action figure.
Raj said he will match the offer for Leonard's collectibles plus a 1000 Rupees and Sheldon asked "What's the exchange rate?". Raj replied "None of your business". 1000 Indian Rupees is approximately 22 USD.
Sheldon mentions Penny is an accumulator of Care Bears, while, in "The Dumpling Paradox", Howard said, "Ah, well then, we’ll probably need to talk about your stuffed bear collection."
Leonard states that the elevator had been broken for two years (it was 2008 when this episode aired, so it would be 2006) when in fact it's been out since 2003 (5 years in 2008) years due to an explosion he caused with rocket fuel before. Since he was the one responsible for the accident, it is most likely that he wanted to keep it secret from the general public.
Although Sheldon says it's two in the morning, when he correctly guesses that Leonard wants to talk about his problem, he says, "Wow, I'm on fire tonight."
Goofs
Gang discusses the elevator as they don't know why it is out of order, while according to The Staircase Implementation they know it was blown up by Leonard's experimental rocket fuel.
Quotes
SheldonCooper: This sandwich is an unmitigated disaster. I asked for turkey and roast beef with lettuce and Swiss on whole wheat.
Rajesh Koothrapali: What did they give you?
Sheldon Cooper: Turkey and roast beef with Swiss and lettuce on whole wheat.
Rajesh Koothrapali and Howard Wolowitz: (staring at Sheldon, confused)
Sheldon Cooper: It's the right ingredients but in the wrong order! In a proper sandwich the cheese is adjacent to the bread to create a moisture barrier against the lettuce. They might as well have dragged this thing through a car wash.
(Upset by Penny's comments, Leonard sits in the time machine)
Sheldon Cooper: Leonard, it's two in the morning.
Leonard Hofstadter: So?
Sheldon Cooper: So, it's my turn.
Leonard Hofstadter: What if I knock you unconscious right now?
Sheldon Cooper: It won't change the past.
Leonard Hofstadter: But it'll make the present so much nicer.
(Leonard has just played with the time machine)
Leonard: That was fun! (Others laugh with excitement.)
Raj: My turn!
(Penny comes in and is upset with the guys.)
Penny : OK! First of all, what you call a gap, was nearly 3 feet wide; I slipped and skinned my knee.
Leonard: Are you OK?
Penny: Azzzzzz! Second of all, the door to the stairway of the other building was locked, so I had to go down the fire-scape which ended on the third floor, forcing me to crawl through the window of a lovely Armenian family, who insisted I stay for lunch.
Leonard: That doesn't sound too bad?
Penny: It was eight courses of lamb and they tried to fix me up with their son.
Leonard: Sorry.
Penny: Not Done! By the time I finally got to work, they'd given my shift away. Yeah, that's right, I lost an entire day's pay thanks to this, this...
Sheldon: Time Machine.
(Penny stares at Sheldon, giving him an evil glare.)
Leonard: The lights flash and the dish spins, you wanna try it?
Penny: No! I don't wanna try it; my god, you are grown men, how can you waste your lives with these stupid toys and costumes and comic books?! And now that! That...
Sheldon: Again, Time Machine.
Penny: Oh Please! It's not a time machine, if anything, it looks like something that Elton John would drive through the Everglades.
Sheldon: It only moves in time. It would be worse than useless in a swamp.
Penny: Pathetic! ALL OF YOU! Completely pathetic! (Penny leaves, others are in silence)
Raj : My turn! (Leonard stands there while the others continue to play.)
(Sheldon, Raj and Howard are trying to stop Leonard from selling his stuff. Penny comes outside to see what the fuss is about.)
Penny: What the hell's going on?
Sheldon(to Penny): You hypocrite!
Penny: What?
Sheldon: Little Miss "grown-ups don't play with toys"! If I went into that apartment right now, would I not find Beanie Babies? Are you not an accumulator of Care Bears and My Little Ponies? And who is that Japanese feline frolicking on your shorts? Hello, Hello Kitty!
Penny(to Leonard): OK, OK, Look, if this is about yesterday, Leonard, I am really sorry about what I said, I was just upset.
Leonard: No, I needed to hear it.
Penny: No you didn't, look, you are a great guy, and it is the things you love that make you who you are.
Howard(To Raj): I guess that makes me large breasts.
(The time machine arrives to the guys in which they find out it is life-size and not miniature.)
Leonard: How on earth are we gonna get it upstairs?
Howard: We could just take the dish off and put it in the elevator.
Leonard: Yes, but the elevator's been broken for two (actually five) years.
Sheldon: I've been meaning to ask you. Do you think we should make a call about that?
Howard: Not necessary. I have a Master's in Engineering. I remotely repair satellites on a regular basis. I troubleshoot space shuttle payloads. When the Mars Rover started pulling to the left, I performed a front-end alignment from 62 million miles away. (pushes the button of the broken elevator and then listens to see if it comes down.) No, that baby's broken.
Sheldon: It worked. It really worked. They said I was mad, but it worked.
Gallery
And they tried to fix me up with their son.
Nope. It's broken.
Penny.
And how do we get it up to the apartment?
Sheldon reaches the future.
Morlocks! Flesh eating Morlocks!
Keep your toys, Leonard.
The hostage action figure.
Happy time machine owner.
Leonard about to open the hostage action figure.
Leonard's fantasy helping Penny.
Penny needs to get downstairs.
Leonard packing up his toys.
Sheldon threatening Leonard not to open his mint figurine package.
